


A late dinner

by sarahcakes613



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Anniversary, Fluff, Food as a Metaphor for Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 18:07:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29905014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahcakes613/pseuds/sarahcakes613
Summary: When Sonny has to go undercover and miss their anniversary, Rafael resigns himself to sleepless nights and working late. His husband has other ideas, however, and arranges for a welcome surprise.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 24
Kudos: 49
Collections: Barisi Genres & Tropes Challenge





	A late dinner

**Author's Note:**

> This is my attempt at covering "romance" and "tooth-rotting fluff". Y'all know I am NOT a fluff writer. This story definitely hurts my teeth, which I think means I did a good job.

When Sonny walks into Rafael’s office, the first thing Rafael thinks is “oh, so _that’s_ what a hang-dog expression looks like.”

He’s got his shoulders hunched up, his chin tucked down, hands shoved in his pockets. He’s looking down at the ground and seems reluctant to raise his gaze to meet Rafael’s.

“They’re sending me back out,” he mutters. “I’m sorry Raf, I really am, but the guy Vice had in there got made, and they think they can get me in as a cousin, and I know I said I’d take a longer break but we’re so close to the bust.”

Rafael pushes away from his desk and walks over to Sonny, cupping his hand gently over Sonny’s cheek.

“I understand, mi amor,” he says. “You know how proud I am of your work and I don’t ever want you to feel guilty about how good you are at it.”

Sonny nuzzles into his hand. “You forgive me for missing our anniversary?”

Rafael’s heart sinks. In his haste to reassure Sonny he had almost forgotten their plans, a night away and dinner at an exclusive new bistro with a months-long waitlist. He chokes down his disappointment, the bistro isn’t going anywhere but if Sonny can’t make the connection between a series of victims and this drug dealer, their case might vanish.

He nods firmly. “You don’t even need to ask, of course I do.”

Sonny’s expression finally clears, his entire face lighting up as he sweetly leans down to kiss Rafael softly on the mouth. “I love you, you know that?” He murmurs into the kiss, and Rafael smiles against his lips.

“I know,” he confirms. “Sometimes it’s all that gets me through the long hours.”

When the kiss finally breaks, Sonny doesn’t go far, dropping another kiss on the top of Raf’s head and then bringing their foreheads together, breathing in deeply like he wants to memorize this moment.

* * *

“I’m fine, Liv, stop _mothering_ me!” Rafael snaps and turns to face the window, mouth set in a firm line.

There’s silence for a beat, and then, “ _Wow,_ Rafa. You really do fall apart when Sonny’s not around, huh?”

He whirls back to her, but she has her hands up placatingly. “I’m just saying, you don’t normally try to take my head off for asking if you want to come over for dinner.”

He slumps down against the edge of his desk. “I’m sorry, I haven’t been sleeping well since Sonny went under.”

Olivia nods sympathetically. “And I imagine you haven’t been eating regularly either, without Sonny here to drag you home at a reasonable hour?”

He scowls at her, but they both know she’s right. He’s living on his pre-relationship diet of black coffee, whiskey, and whatever sandwich looks least disagreeable from the bodega on his way home.

“Come over for dinner,” she repeats. “Noah’s going through a broccoli phase, and I’d feel really good about myself if I can look Sonny in the eye when he gets back and swear that I saw you eat something green.”

He smiles at that. “Maybe tomorrow,” he offers. “I think tonight I want to wallow.” It’s their anniversary, and instead of being miles away at a beachside resort, he is working late, because if Sonny’s not there waiting for him, why go home at all? As a mental compromise, he’s already planning to order himself dinner, something he can show Sonny a photo of as if to say, _look, even though we weren’t together, I celebrated our love_.

* * *

He’s flipping back and forth between two restaurant menus when his desk phone rings. It’s the security desk downstairs, letting him know there’s a courier to see him.

It’s well after work hours for any but the most dedicated lawyer, and curiosity has him allowing them to send the courier up to his office. When the courier arrives, she’s got a helmet dangling off of one elbow and a large insulated food bag hanging on the other.

“Mr. Barba?” She confirms, and he nods.

She unzips the bag and pulls out a series of containers. Steam is emanating off of them, the food still hot enough that the dishes are warm to the touch.

“Oh, I also gotta message for you,” she clears her throat and unfolds a scrap of paper. “To my wonderful husband Rafael, on our anniversary. If you are hearing this it is because I was right about where to send the courier. I ordered the same food for both of us so even though I’m not there with you, we’re still eating dinner together. I love you so much and I can’t wait to see you again. Love, Sonny.”

She sets the message down on top of what looks like a plastic clamshell in the shape of a wedge of pie. “Your fella in the army or somethin’?” She asks.

“Or something,” Rafael says. “Thank you.” She nods and folds up the now-empty bag.

“Cheers,” she says, leaving him with his unexpected dinner.

His heart is so full in this moment that it actually hurts. Without even telling Rafael, his beautiful sensitive husband had known exactly what he would do on their anniversary if Sonny wasn’t there, and he’d arranged an entire meal for them to share despite their different locations.

He looks over the entire array of food. There’s a large green salad, a container of creamy mashed potatoes with chives and bacon bits, a ribeye that looks to be perfectly seared to his liking, and two slices of apple pie.

Because Sonny isn’t there to chide him, he is reaching for the pie first, when his phone beeps with an incoming text. It’s from an unknown number, but when he reads the message he knows immediately who it is from.

_Eat your salad first, love._ **Sent 9:49pm**

He doesn’t bother replying, chances are it wouldn’t even go through, but he clutches his phone tightly to his chest, this tiny bit of communication’s the first he’s had from Sonny in almost two weeks. For Sonny, he’ll eat the salad first.

When he does finally bite into the pie, he groans loudly at the first burst of cinnamon and warm apple on his tongue. It tastes almost – no, exactly, like Sonny’s own recipe. Rafael wonders if Sonny had planned to that level of detail, if he’d baked a pie and left it with the restaurant with an order to include it with their dinner. His perfect thoughtful husband, sending love to Rafael in so many ways.

He can’t wait for this damned case to break so he can wrap Sonny in his arms and never let go.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Gayle for giving me the title!


End file.
